East Bengal and Bagan will open NFL

Last updated on: January 04, 2005 21:27 IST

Defending champions East Bengal will take on former winners Mohun Bagan, who finished a lowly ninth in the last edition, in the opening match of the ninth National Football League beginning in Kolkata on January 12.

On the next day Vasco Sports Club, one of the six Goan teams in the fray, will begin their campaign against state rivals Fransa Pax Football Club.

There will be two matches at Goa and Mumbai respectively on the third day of the first round on January 14 with runners-up Salgaocar Sports Club taking on promotees State Bank of Travancore and Mahindra United locking horns with Churchill Brothers.

The sixth and last match in round one will pit JCT Mills, Phagwara against Dempo SC at Goa.

Kerala, returning to the NFL map after a while, will host its first match on February 1 when SBT meets the defending champions.